Changed for the Better
by Landi McClellan
Summary: Conclusion to For Good. Ten years later, at the high school reunion, old friends are reunited. Are they still the same lovable people from high school or have they changed more than they realize? [complete]
1. Chapter 1

Changed for the Better

A/N: Here it is…the long-awaited conclusion. I would like to thank my readers who wanted me to continue with this story. This one's for you.

Summary: Ten years later, at the high school reunion, old friends are reunited. They may have changed on the outside, but they are still the same lovable people from high school.

_**Conclusion-Pt. 1**_

"Yoo-hoo, Yugi," called a bubbly Tea Gardener across a crowded auditorium.

The boy with the tri-colored coif looked around wildly for the voice calling his name. His amethyst eyes spotted a slender wrist waving madly several yards away. He gently pushed his way through the bustling crowd to reach his friend of fourteen years.

"Wow! Tea, you look fantastic," Yugi Mouto exclaimed happily as the two friends embraced. They were at their ten-year high school reunion. Neither one had seen each other since after their graduation.

"Gee thanks Yugi," Tea said with a slight blush. Shortly after graduation, Tea headed out to New York to dance with the American Ballet Academy in New York City. Once she graduated from the academy, she joined the American Ballet Company and had been dancing with them ever since. "You look fantastic."

Yugi smiled bashfully. Indeed, the small boy with eyes full of innocence had grown into a man with beautiful bronze skin and eyes full of wisdom. Instead of being among the shortest in the class, he was now at a roughly average height.

"Yugi! Tea! Over here!" Tristan Taylor shouted. He waved and shoved his way through the crowd.

"Tristan? Is that you?" Tea asked, tilting her head a bit to the side to try and catch a better glimpse of the brunet's face. Indeed, it was he. His hair had lost its pointy shape and had grown out so that it hung in his face. Over the years, Tristan had sprouted an impressive mustache and goatee.

"Oh my God," Yugi gasped. "Tristan, it is you! What the heck happened to you?"

"Eh, I was doing some self-evaluation. Guys, I traveled the world! I was just too lazy to shave or get a haircut," he joked.

Tea laughed and slapped her friend on the arm. "So where's Joey? I figured he'd be coming with you."

Tristan shrugged and combed his scraggly hair back with his fingers. "I dunno. I thought he would be here already." He sighed and blew the remaining strands of hair out of his face.

"No way! Tristan Taylor, is that you?"

Tea, Yugi, and Tristan turned around. The missing Joey Wheeler had shown up at last. Their eyes widened when they spotted the blond walking towards them. Joey's hair, no longer unkempt, was now slicked back professionally. Instead of jeans and a t-shirt, Joey wore a charcoal-gray suit.

"Joseph Wheeler, is that _you_?" Tristan replied.

Joey flashed his trademark grin and enveloped Tristan in a bear-hug. He did the same to Yugi and gave Tea a normal hug. "It's great to see you guys. How've you all been?"

The group relocated to a vacant table in a corner of the expansive auditorium. They exchanged tales of what adventures had befallen them over the years. They reminisced about the old days and joked about the many mishaps they had. They looked fondly upon the many duel tournaments they participated in. Neither of them dueled since high school, but nonetheless, the memories brought nostalgic smiles to their faces. They laughed as they recalled all of the people they had encountered along the way, including Yami, the soul who had once shared a body with Yugi.

"I still miss him, you know," Yugi said wistfully. He sighed and traced a circle on the tablecloth with his finger.

Tea reached across the table for Yugi's hand and clenched it reassuringly. "We all do Yug'." She sighed and rose to her feet, dragging Yugi up with her. "Come on, let's dance." Then she dragged Yugi, who seemed to show no signs of protest, to the dance floor.

"Now if you'll excuse me, I think I'll take a walk," Tristan said as he rose to his feet. Within seconds, he disappeared into the crowd, leaving Joey alone at the table.

Joey didn't seem to mind though. He smiled as he watched his friends dance without a worry in the world. For a moment, it seemed like they were in high school again. He leaned back in his chair and glanced at his wristwatch. He had been here for an hour, but it seemed like a lot less. He sighed and looked back at the dance floor.

"Anyone sitting here?" said a familiarly cold voice from behind Joey.

"Have a seat," Joey replied without looking back. When the owner of the voice took a seat beside Joey, he turned to face him. He smiled knowingly. "Well well well, I never thought I'd see Seto Kaiba at a high school reunion."

A/N: So, what do you think? I'm trying to decide if I should make this conclusion another story. Please review and tell me what you think. No flames please.


	2. Chapter 2

Changed for the Better

_**Chapter 2**_

Seto Kaiba flashed one of his famous smirks at the blond beside him. "And I never thought I'd see the Mutt dressed in a suit with his hair combed back."

Joey gave one of his goofy smiles and punched Seto playfully on the arm. "Same old Kaiba," he said. "A comment like that coming from someone who only wears funky-looking trench coats and school uniforms."

Seto gasped indignantly. "That is not true! I also wear suits, pajamas, jeans, and sweats," he joked.

Joey rolled his eyes and rustled in his chair. Being so close to Seto for so long without having an argument was driving him crazy. Maybe it was the withdrawal from his daily scuffles or simply the fact that Seto wasn't spewing insults like Krakatoa. Whatever it was, it gave Joey a sensation similar to having butterflies in your stomach. He reached for his plastic glass of champagne (A/N: they are drinking age now. You don't like it…TOUGH!) and took a sip to stifle the feeling.

"So," Joey said with a forced smile, "what's new with the big, bad, CEO?"

Seto raised an eyebrow, wondering what happened that caused Joey to go from being calm to being tense. "What do you think? Popularity is through the roof and rising. There are more shares in the company than anyone could imagine. In a nutshell, Kaiba Corp. is doing well." He looked at Joey, who was drinking from his glass every three seconds, with mild interest. "What about you? Where's the Mutt I remember from high school?"

Joey set his empty glass on the table and folded his hands over his abdomen. "He moved to the north side of the city, went to night school, took a course in public speaking, and was hired at Japan Technology Group, Inc. He's been working there for the past seven years and was recently promoted to manager of his department."

Seto's eyes widened unconsciously. Never in his life had he expected someone like Joey to become such a success. True, that was vain and awfully callous of him to think such a negative thought, but then again, it was Joey. The Joey who threw paper balls across a classroom and would start random arguments over random things became the Joey who had a well-paying job and a life much better than the one he lived at home.

"Well, I'm proud of you Joey," Seto said. Instantly, he gave himself a mental beating for allowing that phrase to slip past the filter in his brain.

There was silence, in which Joey stared at Seto as though he sprouted wings from his forehead. "What did you just say?"

Seto sighed. He couldn't take it back, so what more damage could be done now? "I said…I said I'm proud of you, Joey." His face betrayed nothing, but mentally he flinched and waited for Joey to get emotional on him.

Instead, Joey just smiled. "Thanks Kaiba. Coming from you, that compliment means a lot." Then nothing more was said. Luckily, to fill the awkwardness between the two, Yugi and Tea returned to the table.

* * *

A/N: Whew! The second part of the conclusion is done. I will continue. So far, thank you to my reviewers. You are all wonderful and I love you all so much. The third chapter is on its way, so keep your eyes open for it. Free Seto and Joey plushies for all who review. 


	3. Chapter 3

Changed for the Better

A/N: Thank you to all of my reviewers! Free Seto and Joey plushies for you all!

_**

* * *

**_

Chapter 3

Yugi and Tea, both red-faced and panting, giggled as they took their seats beside Joey. For a moment, Seto was ignored. He didn't mind. If anything, that's how he wanted it to be.

"Oh, hey Kaiba. I didn't see you there."

_Damn_, Seto thought. "Hello Yugi."

"When'd you get here?"

"Just after you got up."

Then came the silence. For a few moments, they sat there in awkward silence. Tea sat with bated breath and fiddled with the edge of the tablecloth. Joey looked from Seto to Yugi to Tea and back to Seto. He sighed and drummed his fingers on the table. Yugi folded his arms on the table and sighed heavily. Seto leaned back in his seat and folded his hands over his abdomen.

Suddenly, Joey slammed his palms on the table. "I can't take it anymore! Tea, can I speak with you outside for a moment?"

"Sure Joey," Tea said as she walked with Joey out of the nearest exit.

Yugi watched them leave. He waited until the door had closed behind them before opening his mouth. "So Kaiba, what's going on between you and Joey?" he asked innocently.

Seto's eyes narrowed into a deadly glare. If Yugi was affected in any way, he showed no sign of it. He simply blinked at his taller companion. Seto sighed in defeat. The butterfly sensation in his stomach had refused to cease ever since he spoke Joey's name.

"Yugi, I respect you as a duelist and as a person. Can I trust you to keep a secret?"

Yugi's eyes widened slightly at the request. "Uh…of course! Of course you can trust me."

_Meanwhile…_

"Tea, there is something I think you should know," Joey said solemnly. He took a deep breath and ran his fingers through his hair. "I'm not entirely sure how to say this, but I need to know if I can trust you first."

"You like Kaiba, don't you?" Tea asked as she moved to rest her back on the rough, brick exterior of the auditorium.

Joey stared at the brunette. The expression on his face read shock, shame, or even a mixture of both. Tea smirked when she saw Joey's cheeks turn bright red.

"Don't worry Joey. I won't tell a soul." She ran her fingers across her mouth as if she was zipping her lips. She turned her wrist as if she was locking her mouth shut. She gave Joey a thumbs-up and turned to walk inside. However, Joey grabbed the dancer's bony wrist.

"Tea, I'm asking you as a friend and as a frightened gay man, please do not tell a soul." Joey's eyes were wide and pleading. If he wasn't wearing a two-hundred dollar suit, he would have been on his knees begging her to keep her silence. It wasn't that he doubted her, for he had great confidence in his best friend. He was scared of what could happen if the wrong people, meaning Seto, found out.

Tea looked at Joey, sympathy flooding her face. She wrapped her arms around Joey's shoulders and gave him a friendly hug. "Joey, I promise I will tell no one. Your secret is safe with me."

Back inside the auditorium, Yugi and Seto sat at the table in stunned silence. Yugi's lips formed a perfect little "o" and Seto stared blankly at the tablecloth. After a prolonged and stifling silence, Seto and Yugi sighed simultaneously.

"No one knows?" Yugi asked more for verification than curiosity.

Seto nodded, but kept his icy gaze low. "Not even Mokuba knows."

Yugi nodded understandingly. "You have my word, as both a man and a friend. Trust me, no one will ever find out."

* * *

A/N: Yay! Another chapter is done at last. Cookies and plushies for anyone who reviews. Thanks for reading and don't forget to review. 


	4. Chapter 4

Changed for the Better

A/N: Thank you to all of you who reviewed the first version of chapter 4. I'm glad that some of you found things to compliment even though the chapter itself was crap (in my opinion anyway). I'm sorry for the long update, but hopefully this one will be well worth it.

_**

* * *

**_

Chapter 4

Outside the auditorium, Tea and Joey sat in awkward silence. Tea chewed on her thumbnail nervously, trying to find something to fill the emptiness between them.

"How long have you known you were gay?"

Joey whipped his head around to face her. His expression was a combination of shock and offense. He sighed and ran his right hand through his dirty-blond mane.

"I realized I was gay two years after graduation."

"Do you mind if I ask how you found out?"

Joey sighed. "I was sitting at home one day and doing absolutely nothing. I was watching a cooking show and I found myself writing the ingredients down on the margin of a crossword puzzle. I realized that something wasn't right. Maybe it was because I had never watched a cooking show in my life or because I was actually interested. That night, after I got out of the shower, I looked at myself in the mirror and it hit me. I realized that I was gay." Tea cast a skeptical glance in his direction. "I know it sounds hard to believe, but that's how I knew."

"Okay. How long have you known that you had a thing for Kaiba?"

Joey's cheeks flushed unconsciously. He looked down at the concrete and pushed a pebble with the toe of his left foot. "Tea, when Kaiba and I were talking tonight, it was different. We weren't arguing or fighting in any way. We were having a perfectly decent conversation.

"Without realizing it, I found myself staring at him and wondering what was going on beneath the surface. It drove me crazy and I had to drink something to take my mind off of him. Tea, it's freaking me out. I can't feel things like this for Kaiba. He can't stand me!"

"Joey, if he hated you, you two would have been at each others' throats a long time ago. Trust me, he doesn't hate you."

"Well he obviously doesn't like me back," Joey said in a voice a step below shouting. Tea raised an eyebrow. "Tea, he's Kaiba for goodness sake. He's a heartless bastard who doesn't care about anybody but his brother."

Tea sighed and shook her head. "I don't know Joey. You'd be surprised at how much people can change," she said as she turned to walk inside the building and rejoin her friends.

Joey stood for a moment with his hand outstretched like he wanted to stop her. Then he took a deep breath and lowered his hand.

"Might as well face the music," he whispered to himself.

_Meanwhile…_

Inside the auditorium, while Tea and Joey were having their heart-to-heart, Seto and Yugi were sitting in anticipation. Actually, it was Yugi who was doing the anticipating. Seto looked nothing short of flustered.

Yugi was the first to break the heavy silence between them. He cleared his throat and stared at Seto expectantly. Seto stared back and tried not to twitch under Yugi's innocent gaze, unchanged through the years.

He finally conceded. "Yugi, I think I'm in love with Joey Wheeler."

For a moment, Yugi wore the same expectant expression. A few seconds later, he leaned into the back of his chair and he frowned in confusion. "Wait a second! Are you talking about _our _Joey Wheeler?"

"Do you know any other Joey Wheelers?" Seto asked sarcastically. "Yes, I'm talking about _our_ Joey Wheeler."

Yugi's eyes widened. He gasped and his hands flew to his mouth to muffle a squeal of surprise.

"Oh my God," he whispered. "You're gay?"

"No, I'm ecstatic," he replied sarcastically. "Yes, I'm gay," he hissed.

"And Mokuba doesn't know about this?" Yugi asked in disbelief. "How could he not know?"

Seto exhaled and massaged his temples. "He knows I'm gay. I told him that years ago. What he doesn't know is that I like Joey."

Yugi nodded. "Oh…okay then." He paused and tried to gather the words that would end this discussion. It wasn't that he was uncomfortable with homosexuality. Yugi didn't care either way, but Yugi was shocked that someone as cold as Seto would turn out to be gay. "Uh, how's Mokuba doing? He's, what, twenty-four now?"

Seto nodded. "Mokuba and I haven't really spoken in a while. He still lives with me at the mansion, but he decided that he would like to start a family. He said that things were kind of lonely at home." He gave a small laugh. "About a year ago, he met this girl. Her name's Miko." Seto pulled out his wallet and showed Yugi a picture.

In the picture, Mokuba looked taller. His hair was still long, about the same length it was when Yugi had last seen him. His face was still boyish in a way and his eyes held the same innocent sparkle. Standing beside Mokuba was a beautiful albino girl. She was about Mokuba's height and she had very pale skin, white hair, and bright red eyes.

Yugi nodded in satisfaction and handed the photo back to Seto. "She looks like a nice girl."

"And they will be getting married next year," Seto added. "Yep, Mokuba proposed to her a couple months ago. I came home from work one day and I found those two canoodling on the couch." At this, Seto visibly twitched. "He said that he and Miko were engaged. Needless to say, I was pretty surprised. Mokuba said that he tried to tell me on several different occasions, but work always got in the way. I felt terrible after that, so I took some time off for a while. All three of us went on a vacation to Paris and spent some time catching up."

Yugi's eyes sparkled with joy. "Well I'm glad that things worked out with you all."

Seto nodded. He saw Joey and Tea walking back towards their table and sighed. "Well, here come the others. Remember not to say a word about anything," Seto hissed. "Or so help me, I will make sure that you'll regret it."

Yugi nodded, but mentally rolled his eyes. "Of course Kaiba. Your secret's safe with me."

* * *

A/N: I think this one is a bit better than the first version. Seto has not shut Mokuba out and you still see Miko (thanks reesescupprincess for your review on that). Seto and Mokuba still have a close relationship, so all's well that ends well. Please review and tell me what you think of Chapter 4: Version 2.0. 


	5. Chapter 5

Changed for the Better

A/N: Sorry for the extremely long update. I've had a really bad case of writer's block and I've been trying out some other stories. So, here it is. After a really long wait, here is chapter five.

_**

* * *

**_

Chapter 5

Tea and Joey sat at the table and smiled.

"So, did you boys have a nice chat?" Tea asked sweetly. She rested her elbows on the table, interlocked her fingers, and then rested her chin on her hands.

Yugi and Seto nodded simultaneously. An awkward silence followed. Joey drummed his fingers on the tabletop and casually leaned back in his chair, sneaking occasional glances at Seto when he figured the other wasn't looking. Tea blinked and sighed. Yugi folded his arms on the table and let his forehead connect with it in a resonating thump. Seto frowned and his cold exterior resurfaced.

"God dammit, I can't take this anymore," Joey cried out as he bolted up from his chair.

"Can't take what?" Yugi asked, knowing fully well that trouble was about to ensue.

"The silence. Why are none of us talking? We're just sitting here and staring into space. We haven't seen each other in ten years and we can't find anything to talk about! I mean, for goodness sakes, we shouldn't be acting like we're treading on broken glass."

Everyone looked down in embarrassment. The tension rested on their shoulders like a heavy bog. Joey gulped, suddenly upset over the fact that he made things even worse. He sighed and sat back in his chair.

"Look, I'm sorry guys. It's just that reunions are supposed to be about reminiscing and memories. We should be laughing about the stupid things we've done and how our lives have been since we last saw each other. We shouldn't be sitting here uncomfortably." At this, he looked at Seto. "Look Kaiba, I know that we haven't exactly been the best of friends. But tonight, I think I learned more about you than I ever learned in our four years in high school."

For a brief second, amazement was evident in Seto's eyes. With every passing second, he was becoming more and more impressed with the so-called mutt.

"Wheeler, you never cease to surprise me. You're not quite the mutt I thought you were…and I'm damn proud of you."

Joey's chocolate-brown eyes widened in surprise, but the surprise quickly faded to happiness.

"You really mean that?" Joey asked in disbelief.

Seto sighed and nodded.

"Yeah, I suppose I do."

In the blink of an eye, several unexpected things happened. One, Joey was crying. Two, he was hugging the life out of Seto. Three, the "emotionless" CEO didn't look like he would kill the blond any time soon. Tea, sensing that the two needed their privacy, gestured for Yugi to follow her outside.

Seto, albeit surprised, managed to maintain a straight face. However, his skin was tingling where Joey's skin met his. He felt his heart pounding so loudly that he feared Joey would hear it, or at least feel it. When he felt Joey's tears on his neck, he wanted to scream and push the blond as far away from him as physically possible. Yet at the same time, he wanted to hold Joey closer. A maelstrom of emotions flooded through his veins, a sensation which Seto was not exactly accustomed.

Meanwhile, Joey was teeming with joy. He figured that Hell had a better chance at freezing over than he did of receiving a compliment from the "King of Mean" himself. Though he knew that crying wasn't exactly the epitome of masculinity, he couldn't stop his thankful tears from coming.

"Thanks Kaiba. That really means something coming from you," Joey whispered tearfully. Then he pulled away and wiped his tears with his sleeve. He gave Seto a small smile and clapped him on the shoulder. "I guess you're not quite the son of a bitch I thought you were," he said playfully.

Seto smirked.

"You're right…I'm twice that."

Joey shook his head and rolled his eyes, muttering some playful insult as he returned to his seat. He looked over at Seto and laughed.

"So, how's Mokuba doing?"

Seto smiled and the two began a rather long, and civil, walk down Memory Lane.

* * *

A/N: Gah! The end to this chapter is a bit iffy. Again, it will probably undergo a rewrite…depending on how nice you are in your reviews. Honesty never hurt anyone. Again, sorry for the super long update. I suppose that's what happens when there is a lack of inspiration. 


	6. Chapter 6

Changed for the Better

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh.

A/N: Again, I am super sorry for the extremely long wait. Here it is…the final chapter of "Changed for the Better".

_**--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------**_

_**Chapter 6**_

The night ended as quickly as it had begun. It was only one o'clock in the morning when the DJ began to disconnect his speakers and pack his music into the two large briefcases by his feet. Nearly everyone, including Yugi and Tea, had returned to their families and their jobs. Among the dozen or so that remained were Seto and Joey.

Joey tried to keep his eyes open as he stifled a yawn with his hand. He blinked to clear his wavering vision and rubbed his eyes with his fists. Seto was looking no better. His chestnut hair, neatly styled at one point, was ruffled and sticking out in all directions. Dark circles rimmed his lower eyelids and his brilliant blue irises were surrounded by bloodshot sclera. He looked at his Rolex, which had somehow ended up towards the middle of his forearm.

"Hmm…guess I should be heading home," he said more to himself than to his companion. He yawned, not even bothering to suppress it in any way. Why deny what everyone knew? It was late. He was tired, and like most people, had a job to attend later that morning.

"Yep, I should be heading home, too," Joey agreed as he rose to his feet. "I need to make sure Lily's okay."

The weary CEO nodded slowly. Lily, as Seto had learned earlier, was Joey's white, long-haired cat. Of course, Seto couldn't let that slip by without a joke about a dog owning a cat and that being against the laws of nature. That earned him a few ice cubes down the back of his shirt, which then earned Joey a "friendly" bop upside the head.

"You do that," Seto said as he covered yet another yawn. "I've got to get home, as well. I've got a business meeting with Apple in," he looked at his watch again, "four hours."

Joey laughed dryly. His voice cracked from fatigue and he cleared his throat to readjust it to its normal pitch.

"Ha-ha loser. I took tomorrow off. I get to sleep in. Woot-woot!"

At this, Seto raised an eyebrow before bursting out into laughter.

"Alright Wheeler, I think you've had too much champagne and too little sleep."

"What can I say? I'm a party animal," he said with a sigh and a nonchalant shrug. He shook his head and his tousled mop of blond hair whirled around his face. He jammed his hands in his pockets and turned to walk out the door. Once in the gaping doorway, he stopped. He turned around to find Seto standing no more than three feet away.

"Hey Seto," he shouted. The brunet turned to face him with an expectant gaze. "Will I ever see you again…you know, after this?"

The taller male sighed and stepped closer. He stopped beside Joey and stared blankly into the distance.

"Yeah…at the twenty-year reunion."

Joey rolled his weary brown eyes and turned ninety degrees to face Seto. He looked up so their eyes met.

"I'm serious. I just think it would be pathetic that we've come so far in only a few hours only to let it all go to waste."

Seto tore his eyes from Joey's and squeezed them shut. His emotions were driving him insane to the point where he couldn't keep his head straight. Did he want to tell Joey or didn't he? He knew there were only a few moments left and he wanted it to end right.

"I don't know Joey. We both live very busy lives. You live in Kyoto, me in Domino."

"Yeah, I know. That doesn't mean we still can't see each other." Joey's eyes widened at the implication. "I mean for coffee and stuff like that," he added quickly.

"Joey, as much as I would like to hope that can happen, you and I both know it won't work."

"For Pete's sake, Kaiba! I'm not asking for a god damned, long-distance relationship here. I'm simply asking if you want to get together for coffee sometime. It's not that big a deal," Joey shouted, almost immediately regretting how those words must have sounded.

"It is a big deal to me," Seto shouted back. "Damn it, Joey. Tonight, you showed me a side of you that I never thought I'd see. It made me realize just how great a person you can really be. I'm sorry for how things were in high school and I'm sorry that it has to end like this. I love you, Joey Wheeler. Don't you ever forget that, but you deserve someone better than me."

With that, Seto Kaiba walked out of the doorway and out of Joey Wheeler's life. The blond's back faced the exit and his brown eyes were locked on a dirty linoleum tile. His entire body shook with the harshness of Seto's words. Joey felt the room temperature drop ten degrees. He spun around and reached into the warm summer night only to find just that. Joey ran out of the auditorium and into the parking lot, searching for any sign that Seto Kaiba was still there. He ran up and down the aisles to no avail.

Joey walked back to his car with silent tears streaming down his face. Once he settled himself in the driver's seat and closed the door, he banged his head on the steering wheel. Angry sobs wracked the man's body and he pounded the rim of the steering wheel.

After several minutes, Joey's sobbing subsided. He wiped his eyes with the sleeve of his jacket and blinked to clear his teary vision. He started the car and pulled out of the parking lot, heading in the direction that would take him out of Domino.

_Because I knew you_

_I have been changed for good…_

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A/N: Finally, the final chapter is finished. I hope you all enjoyed the story. I know I said I'd write a sequel, but I think the story ends well here. If anyone thinks I should write a sequel, tell me in your review. Thank you to everyone who reviewed any of my stories. I love you all. -Landi


End file.
